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Politburo member and Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi visited New York city from July 23-28 as part of his trip to the US at the invitation of the US Department of State.

During his stay, he held meetings with first Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations Jan Eliasson and leaders of the Fund for Reconciliation and Development and attended a seminar held by the Asia Association.

Nghi took the occasion to brief his hosts on the current situation in Vietnam, the country’s policies, its reform achievements as well as the challenges it faces.

He expressed thanks for the effective support that UN agencies have given to Vietnam , and affirmed Vietnam ’s consistent policy of being an active and responsible member of the international community.

Under-Secretary-General Jan Eliasson spoke highly of Vietnam’s positive contributions to the UN during the past 37 years. He lauded the country’s official engagement in the UN peacekeeping operations and praised Vietnam’s impressive achievements in poverty reduction and implementation of Millennium Development Goals.

Eliasson said Vietnam should continue sharing its development experience with other UN members, while pledging that the UN will continue supporting Vietnam in completing its socio-economic targets.

Speaking before representatives from many US agencies and organisations during the seminar held by the Asia Association, Nghi reviewed the recent developments of the East Sea situation.

He underlined Vietnam’s stance and determination of safeguarding the country’s independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity and settling disputes through peaceful diplomatic measures in conformity with international law, especially the 1982 United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea.

Vietnam also attaches much importance to the maintenance of a peaceful and stable environment to serve the country’s development, as well as the development of its ties with other countries, especially neighbouring ones, he stated.

Participants at the event showed deep interest in the complicated situation in the East Sea caused by China ’s illegal placement of its rig Haiyang Shiyou-981 inside Vietnam ’s exclusive economic zone and continental shelf in early May.

They hailed Vietnam’s restraint in the settlement of the issue and expressed their hope that stability will be resumed soon in the region where the international community shares many common interests.

Talking with the Vietnamese community in the city, the Party official affirmed the Party and State’s policy considering the overseas Vietnamese an integral part of the nation, and praised their feelings and contributions to the home country.

Earlier, Nghi also visited Washington where he had meetings with a number of US officials, including Counsellor to the US Secretary of State Thomas Shannon, Deputy National Security Advisor Tony Blinken, President pro tempore of the US Senate Patrick Leahy, Senator John McCain, Under Secretary of State Wendy Sherman, President of the US National Democratic Institute Kenneth Wollack and President of the International Republican Institute (IRI) Mark Green.-VNA